Your Hand in Mine
by Sapphyre Lily
Summary: Reincarnation x Soulmate AU. Akashi has been looking for his soulmate his whole life, but never being able to find them, he has given up. He is waiting out the rest of his days in a hospital when he meets someone that looks awfully familiar...
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note: This is my first AkaKuro fanfic. This plot bunny refused to leave me alone last night haha, so here it is! Hope you guys like it! Please leave a review :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basuke or the cover photo.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

"Ojii-san. The weather's pretty nice today, do you want to go for a walk in the gardens?" The young redheaded girl blinked at her grandfather innocently, until a pair of weathered red eyes turned to meet her matching pair.

Akashi stretched out his wrinkled hand to the young girl and she squealed happily, tugging on it in excitement.

"Tetsuna." The little girl flinched, bowing her head at the sound of the voice, harsh from disuse. "What have I said before about this reckless screaming and uncivilised behaviour?"

"An Akashi must uphold the greatest of outlooks, even within the confines of their home." Tetsuna mumbled, eyes watering. Her hand slid out from Akashi's, but to her credit, she did not cry.

A soft sigh emanated from the old man, and he creakily stooped to her level, lifting her chin so they could lock eyes. "Tetsuna," Akashi said seriously. "That is true, and I do not think you need a reminder that we are not at home. Thus, we must be more aware of how we carry ourselves. I do not mean to rebuke you so that you will have no fun in your life. However, our family duties come first, and we must never forget that. It is our responsibility, and our burden."

The last part was mentioned so softly that the girl almost did not catch it, but the brief flicker of emotion in the normally cold eyes hardened her resolve. She did not know what hardships her grandfather had undergone, for the culture changes since his time had been vast. Nonetheless, she was sure that it could not be easy for him to live through the strict regulations binding all members of the Akashi household. If she thought that the rules today were difficult to abide by, then the rules back then must have been of military grade.

"I understand, Ojii-san. Perhaps we may converse more in the garden? The weather really is lovely today." She smiled gently, but the warring of emotions showed in her eyes, and Akashi could not bring himself to disagree, for he knew she understood his meaning.

They walked slowly, for the hospital gardens were a distance from Akashi's room. Nevertheless, he always enjoyed the walks with his granddaughter. She reminded him of someone close to his heart, someone he had lost long ago, in another lifetime. It was too much to ask to have met that someone in this lifetime, thus he had long given up on finding them and bestowed a rendition of their name on his granddaughter instead.

She had lived up to the name, and never before had she disappointed him or failed him. Unlike all of his insolent children, she had been the only one to surpass his expectations. For her, maybe he would let his guard down, teach her some of the more essential and important things she needed to know about dealing with people, and about being true to yourself.

For her, he would speak of the 'myth' of soulmates, and how they came to pass.

They had arrived at the garden in the midst of Akashi's musings. Perhaps he was getting senile, if his mind could wander like that. Tetsuna, unaware of her grandfather's internal conflict, led him to a small bench by the pond, assisting him in sitting down before taking her spot next to him. They watched the koi quietly for a while, Akashi enjoying the sounds and the feel of sunlight on his face.

A soft coughing drew his attention, and he turned his head to lay eyes on an old man standing not too far from him. The other grandfather had a small boy about Tetsuna's age supporting him, blue eyes scrunched in worry. He noticed Akashi and Tetsuna sitting there, and began steering his grandfather towards them. He stopped in front of them and bowed low, before politely asking, "Ojii-sama, may my grandfather please share your seat? He has bronchitis, and grows weak easily."

Akashi was too stunned to react. The boy and his grandfather had the same powder-blue hair, although the old man's had faded to white in most places. The boy's tone of voice was stoic and calm, his face emotionless. It was too much of a coincidence, despite having last seen that face in a previous life. They were still waiting for an answer, he realised, and was about to hastily reply when Tetsuna answered for him in a haughty tone that reflected her upbringing. "As much as we would like to offer our assistance, my grandfather, too, is frail and weak. It would serve you best to find the nurses instead."

The boy's face did not change, but the faintest of blushes spread on his cheeks. "Of course, uhm…"

"Akashi."

"Akashi-san. We are deeply sorry to have caused you such an inconvenience. We will take our leave now."

"Wait." The boy and his grandfather turned to look at Akashi, who had not realised he had spoken until the words had fallen. "May I know your names? Call it an old man's sentimentality, but you look familiar."

The grandfather coughed minutely and drew himself slightly straighter, bowing to Akashi. "Of course. Forgive our bad manners. I am Kuroko Tetsuya, and this is my grandson Kuroko Seiki."

Akashi's eyes widened almost incomprehensibly, heart thudding. Could it be true? No, wait a moment. There was another tactic that he had not used yet, and he had to be very careful with what he did next. Treat it like a game of shogi, he told himself sternly. Everything rests on your next action.

Attempting to keep his voice steady, he answered, "Ahh. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Kuroko-san. I am Akashi Seijuurou, and this is my granddaughter Akashi Tetsuna. Forgive her brashness earlier, she is only worried for my welfare."

Akashi was pleased to see the other man's face pale a little. It either meant that he had heard about his family's reputation, or that he recognized him. He wanted to believe that it was the latter. After all, who would not get suspicious when you meet someone whose name sounds so like your own? And it was a happy 'accident' that he knew only one person would make deliberately.

Akashi tore his eyes from Kuroko's face, turning to Tetsuna, who was watching their exchange with growing disquiet. "Tetsuna. Would you be so kind as to go acquire some tea? I am feeling a little dehydrated." His words were kind, but his tone was cold. Inwardly, he cursed himself. He had hoped never to use that voice with his granddaughter, but in his haste, he had forgotten himself.

He could hear Kuroko quietly mentioning something similar to his own grandson. Tetsuna gave her grandfather a curious look, but it lasted only a second before she bowed her head in acquiescence. In the corner of his eye, he could see Kuroko Seiki doing the same, and it was with much trepidation that both children departed the garden, leaving the men together.

Akashi watched them leave, ensuring they were out of earshot before speaking his next words. "Kuroko-san, please, take a seat. It cannot be good for your lungs if you keep exerting them in that manner."

"Thank you for your kindness, Akashi-sama." The other man sank down heavily beside him, breath escaping in a great rush. "I apologize for having chased your granddaughter away. I am but a humble man, unworthy of being in your presence."

"Do not worry about it, Kuroko-san. Let us do away with the reputation and formalities, shall we? I am ailing as well, and in this place, we are reduced to the same status."

"You are too kind, Akashi-sama. I am truly unworthy of your benevolence."

They sat quietly for a moment, Akashi listening to the sounds of Kuroko regaining his breath. The quiet wheezing prompted something in him, and an overpowering urge overtook his better judgement, the old words of a promise slipping out of his mouth.

"_If we were to meet again, what would you truly say? _

_A life of debt, a life of regret, or one to cherish and stay?" _

He could almost hear the echo of the past ringing with the words, supressed for so long, now set free. His own voice sounded distorted, not the coarse rasp that came with his body's degeneration, but the clear peals of his younger days. He wanted to take the words back, but before he could, the words he had been waiting a lifetime to hear fell upon his ears.

"_If we were to meet again, then I would reply you this: _

_A life of hope, a life of choice, a life with you in it."_

The replying voice held the same echoing quality as his did. It was not the breathless gasp of the old man he heard, but the cool monotone that he had come to love so long ago.

Kuroko smiled at Akashi, tears shining in the corners of his eyes. In that moment, they had transformed in each other's' eyes; no longer old men, but youths. One with cerulean eyes and powder-blue hair, and the other with fiery hair and ruby eyes. Kuroko reached out and grasped the other's hand ever-so-gently, the gesture so familiar, it made Akashi's heart ache.

"Do you remember me, Kuroko?"

"Of course. How could I ever forget you, Akashi-kun? You taught me everything I needed to know and more. Gave so freely when you didn't know what you would get in return." Kuroko's voice grew hoarse as tears he could no longer hold back ran down his cheeks.

Akashi lifted Kuroko's hand to his lips, brushing over the back of it like he had done so many lifetimes ago. "Anything and everything for you, Tetsuya. I would have spent my life searching for you, but I didn't even know if you were born in the same era as I."

"As have I, Seijuurou-kun. But let us not talk of that for now. There are more pressing matters to discuss. Come, tell me. How has life been to you these many years? And what is your age?"

Akashi smiled wryly. Kuroko was never this talkative in his younger years, not when he knew him, at the very least. "No, no. That is the wrong thing to be asking. How long will you be staying here? That should give us an approximate timeline for when we can meet and talk."

"I have resigned myself to being stuck here till the end of my days, which will not be long now. 4 weeks, the doctors said, if I do not develop pneumonia before then."

"Such a short time? I, too, am confined here, but my date is a little longer than yours. 3 months, they said."

"Whatever is your condition?"

"Hypertension and impending cardiac arrest. It will not be long now." Akashi threw a hand over his eyes. "Ah, cruel fate! To have us reunited but to be separated again so soon!"

"Seijuurou-kun, that is very unlike you."

"Being talkative was not one of your strong points either, Tetsuya. The years have mellowed you."

"As they have you. You did name your granddaughter after me."

"You named your grandson after _me_. To a certain extent, at least."

"What could we have done, if we did not manage to meet in this life? It was the best way to remember, to leave an impression of ourselves in case we ever managed to find each other."

A shuffling was heard and the men drew back from each other, their grandchildren stepping into view. They might have heard the last part of their conversation, Akashi mused. But that was another fire to fight, to be saved for another time.

Kuroko stood up shakily, Seiki rushing over to assist him. "Thank you for your hospitality, Akashi-sama. Perhaps we could arrange a time to play shogi this week?" Kuroko slipped back into formal speech with ease, the words reserved and respectful.

"An excellent plan, Kuroko-san." Akashi approved of Kuroko's improvisation, though he wondered how Kuroko knew he played shogi in this lifetime. "I will send someone to your rooms with the details later. It was a pleasure meeting you."

"And the same to you." Kuroko and Seiki bowed deeply to Akashi before turning away and moving back to his rooms, with Seiki guiding him. Akashi stared after him wistfully, and a soft tap at his elbow reminded him that Tetsuna was present.

"Ojii-san. Did you know Kuroko-san?"

"Yes, Tetsuna. In another lifetime, another age. Perhaps you would not believe me, but I trust you to keep it to yourself." Akashi accepted the cup of tea from her, sipping delicately.

"Oh, I see." Tetsuna pursed her lips, thinking. "That is a very romantic notion, isn't it, Ojii-san? Meeting someone you know from a previous life?"

Akashi almost choked trying to suppress a laugh. The girl had no idea how right she was. "Yes, Tetsuna. Perhaps one day you will meet someone from your past as well." Akashi thought briefly, deciding that this was a good time as any to tell her the story he had been saving for years. The one that his children were unworthy of hearing, but one that he believed was more important than the others. Something that transcended time and death, something that paved hope for a brighter future.

"Would you mind listening to a pet theory of this old man? It is related to that romantic notion of yours."

"Of course, Ojii-san." Tetsuna's eyes shone with unbridled enthusiasm. She loved listening to her grandfather's stories. They always held some moral or life lesson that she could learn from. It had saved her from getting into trouble many times with her parents, and for that she was grateful. This time, however, she had a feeling it was not about either morals or lessons, but just a regular story.

"Very well. Have you ever heard of soulmates?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's note: I am SO SO SORRY this took forever to come up. I had too much work, and I was having some issues with the first part of this chapter. But I got that fixed since I got my friend Feldlerche to beta read that part for me(she's a complete genius, but she doesn't like the same ships I do, so she can't beta read everything for me, haha)like uhm, yesterday afternoon. I still have an issue with this chapter, I feel like it's going off track. But anyway. Tell me what you think! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basuke.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

It was said that long ago, when God made Man, he created a partner for him, such that they would balance each other out. Man's partner was Woman, but what defined them as partners was not their physical outlook, but the spark that resided within them. They were perfect for each other, and it was that particular height of perfection that kept mankind searching throughout the ages, throughout the rise and fall of empires and kingdoms.

Over the aeons, it has been passed down as a glimmer of hope that in each reincarnation cycle, one might be able to find their corresponding spark; the one that would balance out their imperfections, the one who would polish and enhance their better aspects. To be able to find your other half, so as to speak, was extremely rare, and those lucky pairs were christened 'soulmates'.

Some people never find their soulmates. However, legend states that in every reincarnation cycle, they would grow a little closer to the one they were seeking. It had something to do with how they were inexplicably linked to each other, although no official explanation was available. Fortunately, what was verified was that no matter who you were, whether you had the darkest heart or the most deranged mind, you had someone out there who was waiting for you, and only _you_.

It was said that everyone carried a sliver of their soulmate within themselves, a spark of your better persona. Some people said that this sliver was what helped you to orientate yourself, much akin to a compass. It pushes you to certain people who emanated the qualities of your soulmate, but whom may or may not have been the one you are seeking.

Those lucky few who have found their soulmates claimed that the pull was magnetic and unmistakable. It was like finding someone you could be completely comfortable with, the one with which all the masks and lies were stripped away, for they knew you just as well as you knew yourself, perhaps even more. It was as if a part of you had been cut off, but you were unaware until it had been returned to you.

Soulmates who had met in previous lives find it almost painful to live without their other half in their subsequent lives. Now that they finally knew what they were missing, the phantom ache was very real, as if they were physically missing a limb. Unfortunately, soulmates are not necessarily always born in the same cycle of life – that is, one may not be born at the same time that the other was alive. It was very difficult for those who had already found their soulmate once, for in their next lives, they could spend their entire lifetime searching and never be able to find the person.

There _was_ an advantage of meeting your soulmate in a past life. In your next life, if fate permitted, you could recognize them by the same pull that you had experienced before. In this case, most soulmates find it easier to set up a specific password (to be used in their next lives) to check if the other was indeed The One. This was due to the fact that no one looks the same in different lifetimes, and the 'pull' might have been pure imagination.

Surprisingly enough, even though most people could hardly remember anything about their previous lives, memories of their soulmate would always be with them. It was quite disorientating, especially for young children, to have memories of someone whom they had never met before. It was a cause of worry for ignorant parents, who thought that their children were suffering from schizophrenia. In this case, the external influences would convince the child that they were delusional, and over time, they might forget about their soulmate altogether.

Even for a small population of people who have their soulmates etched firmly into their memories, they might discount their soulmates simply due to the fact that their soulmate was not the same gender as in their previous incarnation. Souls, however, do not know or care about the physical body, because it is merely a shell that contains them. As souls do not pick the gender of their body, it is quite possible to meet your soulmate as male in this life, and female in the next.

Many depraved and uncultivated people would rejoice at this fact, for they would be able to freely indulge in their wanton desires. They are not truly looking for their soulmates, but are just seeking the pleasures of flesh. (_In my personal opinion, Tetsuna, these people are simply ignorant, for they have not experienced the joy of having found their soulmate.)_ Not to mention, the soulmate system, sadly, is also contradictory to the stigma that is within the current society's norms. In simple terms, the soulmate cycle is taken as an encouragement of homosexuality, something which most traditionalists frown upon.

Despite all these setbacks, the few people who believed in the idea of soulmates – traditional or not – were inexplicably taken by the idea of someone who was created just for you. Consequently, they began to spread the idea, until it landed upon the ears of an association of philosophical fanatics, who decided to incorporate the idea into their philosophies. These concepts were then further disseminated to everyone who was willing to listen.

And thus transpired the legend that led to the birth of 'Yin and Yang' – a white soul embedded with a black core, a black soul carrying the purity of white in its centre. It could be taken another way, to say that at the core of every good person was a slice of evil, and at the heart of each evil person was a smattering of good. But for what it was worth, it was the definition of soulmates, and how everything would come full circle, no matter how many times hope had been lost.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Akashi slumped back in his seat slightly, exhausted from his storytelling. It was difficult to tell it as impassively and emotionlessly as the other stories he had told Tetsuna, for this was one that he related to _very _strongly. If he would admit it to himself, he desperately wanted to share everything with her. From how he had first met Kuroko to how his life was inexplicably changed. The precious times they had shared, the trials they had faced together. The number of times Kuroko had stopped him and made him remember that he was special, he was good enough, and that _he was not a failure_. A dreamy voice broke him from his train of thoughts, pulling him away from his internal strife.

"Ojii-san… That was a beautiful story, even if it did sound rather like a history lesson." There was a spark of mischief in those red eyes, even as a wistful look graced her young face.

"Tetsuna," sighed the old man. He knew she was trying to lighten the mood, as she usually did, but this was one thing he had hoped she would take seriously. "Everything you hear from me is a history lesson. Compared to you, I am a living fossil."

"Did you just _joke_, Ojii-san? Maybe you are becoming soft." A soft giggle slipped out of her, and Akashi smiled internally at the picture of innocence. He'd forgive her for trying to make a joke out of it. She had hardly any good memories to hold on to, and the time she spent with him was the closest she could come to actually relaxing.

"Now, now, Tetsuna. We cannot let others know that we have discovered their weaknesses. You must keep it to yourself, and then find a way to exploit it." There was a spot of silence, and Akashi wondered if he had said the wrong thing yet again.

"Secrets and lies. That's the currency of the world we live in, isn't it, Ojii-san?" The young girl looked down at her hands, voice soft.

A soft sigh emanated from her grandfather. He had once more disrupted her peaceful countenance unwittingly. He found it surprising how her mood changed so quickly, as if she had an internal clock to tell her when to display what emotion. And though what she said _was _true, it was too mature a thought for one as young as her. The Akashi family had never accepted weakness, thus their training and lessons rigorous at best, exhausting at worst. There was no room for rest, and one had to learn early on that they had been served the toughest slice of life. They just had to deal with it without complaint. He did not want any part in her torture, having undergone the same regime himself. Yet here he was, reminding her of the grim affair that was their life. When was he going to stop keeping the poor girl on her toes all the time?

_Possibly never,_ his darker side whispered. _You cannot lose to the wolves of this world. An Akashi will always be at the top, and will _always_ win. You cannot let her lose, you sentimental old fool._

Ignoring his more ruthless persona, Akashi answered her, his words heavy. "Yes, Tetsuna. The Akashi family is extremely wealthy in that field as well. You could say that we are the bank that handles that currency best, even if some of us despise it." He took a deep breath, his next words sour in his mouth.

"No matter what happens, remember to always uphold that ideal, and always uphold the family name. Because in the end, they control us, and that's all we are reduced to be."

There was a beat of silence before Tetsuna raised her head to meet Akashi's eyes. "But, Ojii-san. You found something that made your life worth living despite all those hateful morals, isn't it? You found your soulmate." Her voice was filled with quiet conviction, and Akashi smiled despite himself.

"Yes, I did. And if I had not found him that lifetime ago, I would not have survived this long. All that I did, I did knowing that one day, we would find each other again."

"Him, huh? I thought souls were genderless?" A sneaky smile he knew well was displayed on her face, and Akashi cursed himself internally for slipping up.

"I knew him as a male in the past, and my memory has not accepted anything other than that. That is the simple truth."

"Or perhaps you have met him again recently as a male, in spite of who he was in the past. If I do say so myself, Ojii-san, you seem awfully cheerful after we met Kuroko-san just now."

"You are very mouthy today, Tetsuna. Would you like me to assign you some extra homework?"

"I don't mind, Ojii-san. You are avoiding my question, thus I am pretty sure Kuroko-san is the one you were looking for. You have also slipped up and used casual language, meaning that you have not planned on this happening." Her tone held a hint of suppressed glee in it. She was evidently delighted to have caught him off-guard, and despite his annoyance at being at the receiving end of her jibes, Akashi was happy that she was enjoying herself.

"Don't worry, Ojii-san. I'll send a message to his rooms after I escort you back. Speaking of which, we should probably go back inside now, it looks as if it would rain."

Glancing upwards, Akashi saw that she was right. Dark clouds that had not been there a moment before were now rolling across the sky. He turned back to the still grinning girl, extending a hand to her with a sigh.

"You know, Tetsuna, I do not know if I should be angry or proud. You have clearly undermined my plans and yet, I find myself impressed at your perception. You live up to your name, and will make a fine Akashi when you are fully grown."

"Thank you very much, Ojii-san. I am very appreciative of your praise, which I do not deserve. I must attribute my accomplishments to you, for it was you who taught me this." Tetsuna bowed her head demurely, before taking Akashi's proffered hand and assisting him inside.

"That is the perfect, textbook answer. I do not fault you for it. But from now on, when I praise you, you must accept it graciously in your heart, even as you paint an immaculate mask for the world to see. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Ojii-san."

"This is for your mental well-being, my dear. My soulmate never let me forget that, and until you find yours, you must take care of yourself."

Tetsuna looked up at the weathered face, surprised. Then her features melted into a smile of quiet joy.

"Yes, Ojii-san."

They walked laboriously back to Akashi's room in companionable silence, until Tetsuna broke it with a question.

"What do you mean when you said that I live up to my name, Ojii-san?"

The old man remained silent, as if he had not heard her. She was about to repeat herself when he said thoughtfully, "Make that appointment with Kuroko-san for tomorrow afternoon at 3pm. Tell him to come to my rooms. I will tell your parents that you will be having a lesson with me."

"Yes, Ojii-san. But that does not answer-"

"I know it does not make sense now, Tetsuna. But come tomorrow, you will see what I mean." There was a conspiratorial gleam in his eye as he said that. "You need not bring anything except a shogi board and your observational skills." Humming to himself, Akashi turned his attention back to the winding corridors of the hospital.

"It is time you learned the origin of your name."


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's note: Wow, this is painfully long. And the story doesn't sit right with me, somehow. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this! It's been a really long time since I've uploaded, and I apologize. I'd love it if you left a review!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basuke.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

3pm of the following afternoon had never seemed so far away. Glancing at the clock for the umpteenth time, Akashi sighed, the pain of knowing that their meeting would not be for five more hours weighing heavily on his mind. Sitting in a chair next to him, Tetsuna flipped a page in her history book, remarking off-handedly, "Ojii-san, why don't you play a game of shogi against yourself first? I'm not sure that sighing for four more hours, not including lunch, would do anything to alleviate your worry."

"Yes, Tetsuna, perhaps you are right." Akashi mumbled distractedly. "However, I am not in the right frame of mind, and playing a game now would only serve to disconcert me further."

"Perhaps, then, a novel? This is merely fiction, and may not serve to exercise your mind, but it provides a compelling distraction for a few hours." Tetsuna reached into her bag to withdraw said novel, but pulled back her arm just as quickly. "On second thought, it might make you even more agitated, Ojii-san. You would probably over-analyse the plot, and it would not be enjoyable any longer."

"Never under- or over-estimate me, Tetsuna. Although you are correct on the account that I would be analysing the plot. I shall deign to ignore the story's shortcomings on this occasion, if it serves to preoccupy my mind for several hours."

That said, the book changed hands. Much to Tetsuna's surprise, Akashi was engrossed in the novel until lunch was announced.

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Soft knocking was heard at the door, and the muffled voice of Kuroko Seiki could be heard through it.

"Permission to enter, Akashi-san."

"Enter," Akashi called out, inserting a sheet of paper Tetsuna had given him into the book to mark where he had stopped reading.

Seiki pushed the door open, and assisted his grandfather inside. Akashi motioned for them to join him at a separate table across the room.

"Thank you for your help, Kuroko-kun. You may join Tetsuna at the other table if you wish to study, or you may leave, and return at 6pm. I am certain that our game will be concluded by then."

Seiki looked unsure, and turned to his grandfather for help. Kuroko nodded and smiled gently at him, and thus reaffirmed, Seiki strode over to the other table in the room. He seemed to be asking for permission to take a seat, and to her credit, Tetsuna only looked slightly shocked at his appearance before agreeing.

Akashi watched all this from the corner of his eye, the barest hint of a smirk making its way onto his lips. "Seijuurou-kun. Shall we begin our game?" Kuroko's soft voice drifted into his ears, and Akashi turned to face his partner, amusement still evident on his face.

"Yes, yes. Let us begin. I see that Seiki has inherited your lack of presence." He mentioned noncommittally.

"Yes, it is as you say." Kuroko's face remained impassive as he stared at the board, but Akashi could hear the smile in his voice. "It is quite disconcerting for others, but it is always quite entertaining to see Aomine-kun's reaction when he realises there are _two _of us. He never seems to be able to remember that."

"You have met Daiki?" Akashi's voice must have betrayed his surprise, judging from the puzzled look on Kuroko's face.

"Yes, the first time when I was still in my twenties, to be exact. He was looking fervently for Kise-kun at that time. Has Seijuurou-kun never met anyone else from our previous life?"

"I met Shintarou about the same time that you did. Fortunately for him, he had already found Kazunari. Regrettably, it was due to our diminishing population that he was betrothed to a lady of his family's choosing." Akashi smiled bitterly, even as he scanned the board to make his next move.

"I believe that that was the case for all of us, Seijuurou-kun. What choice did we have at that time but to give back to society?"

"What choice indeed," he mused. "Perhaps we would have stood a chance if we were born fifty years later, for with the advancement in technology, we would have had a chance to make a life with each other."

"There is no point regretting the past," came the calm answer. "Let us enjoy our time together now, for the present is all that matters."

"'Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. But today is a gift, and that is why it is called the present'."

"Was that line not from a movie shown sometime in our past lives?"

"Yes, it was. Childish it may be, but there is some semblance of truth even in fantasy. At any rate, I believe the knowledge of the author of the real quote has been long lost, else I would quote them for you."

Kuroko smiled, his blue eyes dancing. "That sounds remarkably like what you would do. I'm glad to know that this lifetime did not break you as the previous lifetime tried to, Seijuurou-kun."

"Oh, but it did, Tetsuya." Akashi lifted his gaze from the board, his eyes burning with the undiluted pain of what he had suffered in the past. "The only thought that kept me going was the knowledge that you were waiting for me, sometime, somewhere. And if I did not survive, how was I ever to find you?"

Shaking his head, Akashi reached forward to intertwine his fingers with Kuroko's, ignoring the fact that the two children were most probably staring at them. "I played their games, fought tooth and nail, and worked myself to the bone, just to establish my empire. All so that I might be in a better position to send out scouts to look for you. But I could never find out where you were. Fate is a cruel mistress. Look how she has brought us together only now, at the end of our lives! Is it too much to wish that we have more time with each other?"

Kuroko returned Akashi's grip with gentle pressure, his voice a whisper. "No, I suppose it is not. However, what time we have is precious, and we should treasure it. If our situation is bad, then I suppose Aomine-kun might have had it worse."

"How would Daiki's situation be far worse than ours?" Akashi was genuinely curious, having never met the blue-haired man in this life.

"I mentioned that I had met Aomine-kun when we were about twenty years old. At that time, he was married to Momoi-san, having grown up together with her again. They both knew that he would never be satisfied until he found Kise-kun, and so spent most of their free time looking for him. Much like yourself, he had given up on finding Kise-kun by the time they had turned sixty, when one day, he walked past a Dumpster and heard something crying.

"He went into the Dumpster to find its source, for he felt strangely drawn to it. Hidden behind the trash cans in the darkest corner was a tiny box, beat-up and dirty. He decided to open the box, despite his age and the fact that he might not be able to defend himself if something were to attack him. But the sight that met him was horrifying.

"Inside the box was a newborn baby, and by the looks of it, no more than a few hours old. Its body was battered and bloody, and it was cold, so cold, as if it were close to death. If it were a normal situation, Aomine-kun would have taken off immediately and left it to die. But something about the child called to him, and he picked it up and brought it home to Momoi-san, where they cleaned it up.

"The baby looked much healthier after it can been washed and dressed, and one could see that its hair was a bright yellow. They had discovered that it was a boy, and were about to bring him to the hospital for a check-up when he opened his eyes.

"The moment they looked into those brown eyes, both Aomine-kun and Momoi-san _knew_ that it was Kise-kun. And somehow, the child recognized them too. At the hospital, the boy wailed incessantly when he was separated from Aomine-kun, more so than when he was separated from Momoi-san. The doctors were baffled, but there was nothing they could do (for they could not have understood) to placate the crying baby.

"Nevertheless, with the paperwork settled, Aomine-kun and Momoi-san adopted Kise-kun as their own child. Needless to say, Aomine-kun was a much better father to Kise-kun than to any of his own children."

Both of them had forgotten about their game at this point, and Akashi was starting to feel the slightest bit sorry for Aomine and Kise. Who would want to meet their soulmate as a tiny child, care for them, and because of that, never be able to love them romantically? It was quite tragic, really.

"That is quite the ordeal. I believe that Ryouta must have been very loved by his parents."

"Yes, you could say that." Kuroko commented drily. "He is also quite the enthusiastic adult, as far as I can tell from the few occasions that I have met him. At the very least, Aomine-kun and Momoi-san are very well taken care of, and Aomine-kun has matured from this experience. God knows how, but Kise-kun managed to land a job as a model again in this life."

"I am not surprised," chuckled Akashi. "Despite our wishes, Fate plays an essential part in seeing history repeated. Perhaps they should pay us a visit sometime. It would be nice to catch up."

"You must be bored out of your mind if you are suggesting a meeting with Aomine-kun. He is still the brash loudmouth that he was in our last life."

"Precisely why I would like to meet him. If young Ryouta has managed to sway him just a little, then perhaps he would not need to be reacquainted with my scissors."

"Seijuurou-kun." Kuroko's voice was disapproving. "All of us acknowledge that you are absolute in each and every lifetime, thus it is unnecessary to treat Aomine-kun that way. He is just as old and frail as we are."

"Perhaps Ryouta then, if he is as over-enthusiastic as I last remember him."

"Are you just looking for a reason to use your scissors against them?" Kuroko's voice was monotonous and unimpressed, yet Akashi swore he heard a hint of mirth in it.

"No, of course not. I have a dart board for that purpose."

"With Aomine-kun's face on it, I suppose."

"Now there's an idea, Tetsuya…"

A heavy sigh. "Let us continue our game, Seijuurou-kun."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Tetsuna flipped a page in her textbook, scanning through the material even as she listened in on their grandfathers' conversation. Hmm. Very interesting. It seemed that Kuroko Tetsuya-san was the only other person capable of talking back to her grandfather without incurring his wrath. If anything, her grandfather sounded amused or thoughtful at anything he said. It was quite an enriching experience, knowing that he was capable of expressing normal human emotion to somebody other than her.

And they seemed quite close too, despite having just met the day before. _Definitely soulmates in a previous lifetime._ She had never heard anyone refer to her grandfather by his first name before she met Kuroko-san. Even her grandmother only referred to her husband as Seijuurou-san, and that was when she was being informal. It was really very curious, to think that someone had managed to worm their way into Akashi's heart.

People often thought that Akashi Seijuurou, the supreme emperor, was cold, cruel and heartless. Even those within the Akashi household suspected much the same, although they held a grudging respect for the man who had elevated them into high society. Tetsuna often wondered why her grandfather was so nice to her, and why she was raised differently as compared to her cousins. Listening in on their conversation, while morally wrong, was enlightening, and she slowly began to understand why she was treated differently.

Kuroko Tetsuya-san was a quiet, observant man, who had a way of diffusing tricky situations. He was also shockingly blunt with his words, which astounded Tetsuna more and more as she listened – anybody else who had tried to do such a thing was immediately put in their place. As the afternoon wore on, however, she began to notice another interesting fact - Kuroko-san hardly, or never, lied.

From her vantage point, she could observe any body language that might be indicative of lying. Everyone had habits, and lying most commonly had a few that were universal: Scratching the face or the neck, not having direct eye contact when speaking, excessive hand movement to draw attention away from the face. Kuroko-san was a very expressionless man. He did not make any unnecessary movements, and each movement he made was smooth, as if he had planned it beforehand. It was a little unnerving, for very few people had that sort of control. If Akashi didn't trust him, she would have labelled him as a trained assassin or perhaps a veteran actor. (She was more partial to the assassin theory though.)

The lack of falsities or sugar-coating his words was bound to offend Akashi at some point, but from what she perceived, it was precisely because Kuroko-san did not mince his words that her grandfather enjoyed talking to him. _In a world where secrets and lies are commonplace, an honest man is bound to be shredded by the wolves._

Yet, despite his weak appearance, Kuroko-san seemed tough. What little she had discerned was that his low presence caused him to go unnoticed most of the time, and despite that, he did not feel a desire to make others acknowledge him through extravagant means. His mask was elaborate, protecting him on the rare occasion that someone did notice him. His mental prowess was formidable; not that his intelligence was anywhere close to her grandfather's, but he was strong enough to hold his own against bullies. Emotional manipulation might prove to be rather difficult against this man. (He was beginning to sound more and more like a trained assassin, in her opinion.)

The soft scraping of chairs across the room wrenched her out of her musing, and she stood in time to see the two men bowing to each other cordially. She raised a hand to her hair, flicking the switch on the earpiece she wore to 'Off'. She hoped that her action was inconspicuous enough to pass off as fidgeting.

"A well-played game, Akashi-san."

"The same to you, Kuroko-san. It has been a while since I last enjoyed a game of shogi this much. Please, visit again."

"Thank you very much, Akashi-san. May I suggest the day after tomorrow? I am afraid my check-up is tomorrow afternoon, and I will not be available."

"Yes, that is quite agreeable. The day after tomorrow, same time and place as today."

The two of them bowed again, and Seiki stepped forward to take his grandfather's arm. "Thank you for your hospitality, Akashi-san. We will now take our leave."

The two departed, and once the door had closed behind them, Tetsuna approached her grandfather with a cup of tea.

"Ah, thank you, Tetsuna. Come, sit, and tell me what you have learnt today."

Seating herself slowly, the girl stared at her palms for a short moment, deep in thought as she debated with herself. Seeming to make up her mind, she bowed deeply. "Ojii-san, before I begin, I must apologise for listening in on your conversation earlier. It was terribly rude of me to do so, and I promise not to repeat it again."

Akashi chuckled lightly. "Lift your head, Tetsuna. I am no emperor, at least to you. I was fully aware that you were listening." He lifted up a small black disc, no bigger than a fingernail. "These are excellent listening devices, but only if you learn to conceal them properly. Simply sticking it under the table is insufficient. A master of concealment would have discovered it immediately."

Tetsuna squirmed in her seat, eyes still downcast. "Nevertheless, my actions were unjustified. I should not have done it."

"Maybe not, but you certainly impressed Kuroko-san."

Tetsuna's head snapped up, red eyes narrowed. "So he _is_ a trained assassin?"

"Assassin? No, no. Perhaps in his younger days, but I never got around to asking him. Partially due to the fact that we knew you were listening, my dear." Akashi smirked, and Tetsuna had the decency to blush. "An assassin is quite an interesting conclusion to arrive at. May I inquire how you arrived at that outcome?"

"The way he carries himself." She blurted out immediately. "It is too silent and emotionless. Almost as if he is protecting himself from being read. The way he moves is as if he had planned it out beforehand, as if each movement is a well-calculated risk. Although he does not lie. That puzzles me." She pursed her lips, pouting.

Akashi laughed, a short bark of amusement before recollecting himself. "He has always had a low presence, as I'm sure you've heard, and the emotionless mask is simply his nature. It could also be for his own sake, to protect himself. If you were faced with a group of bullies, would it not be easier to act as if their words do not affect you, rather than openly succumbing to their whims? Nonetheless, it was a well-placed observation, my dear. Aside from that, what else have you learnt?"

"I have a hypothesis as to why you named me after him, Ojii-san."

"Let us hear it."

Tetsuna took a deep breath to compose her thoughts. "Kuroko-san seems like a very honourable person. That and the fact that he does not lie. I believe that you wanted me to absorb those traits by having his name, for the people in the world nowadays have little to no honour, and care not about deceiving others as long as it benefits themselves." She wrinkled her nose in distaste. "Perhaps also because you want me to be able to take care of myself and shield myself from the leeches of the world. An emotionless mask would be most appropriate for those circumstances. Oh, and perhaps also purely out of selfishness."

Akashi nodded slowly. "Fair enough. It was actually wholly due to a selfish whim. However, as time wore on, I did want you to absorb some of his qualities, for he is a remarkable man. He is unselfish and sees the good in others where they do not see it in themselves. He is hardworking, and obstinate at the same time. I have never seen him give up on a challenge that he believed impossible to accomplish. He is wonderfully unique, as I hope you have observed – but I am rambling.

"I also wished you to grow up untainted by the preening peacocks that are our immediate relatives. They believe that being born into high society immediately makes them worthy of the privileges that accompany it. Such shallow, uncultured people. Did you know, he is the only one in my previous lifetime that was able to live up to my expectations? And he not only lived up to them, he exceeded them. It was more than enough to endear him to me, although as time progressed, I began to love every aspect of who he was."

"That sounds terribly romantic, Ojii-san. Would you tell me more of your previous life sometime? History books can be so woefully inadequate about the past. They seem only to capture one facet of the story, are incredibly biased and are missing vast amounts of information."

"Very good, Tetsuna. I see that you were studying whilst listening to our conversation. Although, it is not advantageous to multi-task, for copious amounts of information could be lost that way." Mild disapproval was laced in Akashi's tone, and Tetsuna felt an overwhelming urge to bow her head in shame.

"What was I to do? Kuroko-kun would have been suspicious. Besides, it is the obligation of an Akashi to excel in every area, both academic and otherwise."

"Well said. That is always important to remember." Sighing heavily, Akashi set down his cup and rose to his feet creakily. "My apologies, but I feel the need to retire. I had forgotten how mentally taxing it was to have a competent opponent in shogi."

Tetsuna rose wordlessly from her seat to assist Akashi to his bed. Once he was settled in, she bowed deeply and voiced her thanks for the day's lessons. Akashi smiled fondly at her.

"Fret not, little one. It is always my pleasure to impart knowledge to you. If you wish, and your schedule is free the day after tomorrow, you may sit in again on my meeting with Kuroko-san."

"Of course, Ojii-san. Thank you for the invitation. I will think about it, check my timetable and send you a message in due time." She opened the door and before slipping out, said, "I will take my leave now. Please have a good rest."

As the door closed behind her, Akashi stared at the ceiling and smiled to himself. For the first time in this lifetime, he felt content with the way things were. It was not utopia, but as of now, his world had come as close to perfection as was humanely possible.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's note: I am back with a chapter! Hehehe. This one was beta-ed by another of my friends, shadowyruin. I am sticking to my policy of uploading a chapter for each different fic every Thursday, so next week will be for a different fic. I'm sorry, don't kill me Hope you guys enjoy this! I have to increase the rating to T, cos there's a bit of bad language, plus mentions of violence and rape.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basuke.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

_Laboured breaths. Heavy panting. The sound of his heartbeat thundering in his ears. His eyes were almost completely glued shut with dried, crusted blood. He ached and smarted all over from the numerous punches and kicks he had received. Still, he tried to fight back. Pushing himself shakily off the floor, he had barely risen to his knees when he was beaten down again, the thick wooden pole smashing squarely in between his shoulder blades. He lost what little grip he had on the floor, elbows buckling as he fell into an undignified heap._

_A raucous laugh rang out somewhere above him in the darkened warehouse._

_"Oh! What tenacity! Such will to fight! But seriously," the voice took on a bored tone as it drew closer. "Did you _really_ expect to be able to escape my hounds? We will find you, no matter where you go. Nobody is exempt from my clutches, not even you, the so-called 'Emperor'." A large hand fisted a chunk of his hair and yanked upwards, and the back of a hand meet his cheek in a forceful blow. He collapsed back onto the floor, fresh bruises blooming on his already battered face, lip splitting and dripping warm blood down his chin._

_Akashi spat out fresh blood, forcing his eyelids apart so he could glare at the person-in-charge – the one who dared to show him such disrespect. "Haizaki Shougo," he hissed, heterochromic eyes slitted in anger, mustering just enough strength to glare at the man squatting in front of him. "Have you not gotten enough punishment from me? You care to provoke me and risk your own death?"_

_"Hmm? What was that? Take a proper look at yourself, Akashi-sama." He sneered, the honorific seemingly tacked on for the sole purpose of mocking Akashi. Gesturing at him and then at himself, he continued. "Who's torturing who now, huh? Karma's a bitch, didn't Midorima tell you that? You've already gotten what was coming to you, but I'm not done yet, oh no." A maniacal gleam in his eyes immediately put Akashi on guard, wary of what would occur next._

_"You may be immune to many types of torture, and tolerant to physical pain. But your greatest weakness has always been a soft spot for Kuroko Tetsuya." A snap of his fingers was followed by dragging sounds deep within the warehouse. Haizaki stood up and backed away from Akashi, a grin of anticipation on his face. The dragging sounds gradually grew louder and finally, two men appeared with a small body in tow, trussed up like a pig for slaughter. They dumped the body unceremoniously at Haizaki's feet, and he used a foot to roll the person over till he was facing Akashi, as if he really was an animal._

_If Akashi was at full strength and had his trusty pair of scissors, Haizaki would be a dead man by now._

_Lying in front of him, gagged and bound, was Kuroko. His beautiful blue hair was matted, streaked with dirt and stuck up in clumps all over his head. His pale skin sported a variety of bruises, from the newest ones of splotchy red to the dark purple of those a few days old to the fading yellow of those that were almost-healed. Akashi's more sadistic side seemed to light up in appreciation of the gory patchwork of colour, and he quickly punched that thought out of existence. __**This is Tetsuya,**__ he told himself sternly. __**He is as injured as you are – this is no time to be admiring somebody else's handiwork. Least of all because it was him they used as a canvas. **__Nevertheless, his eyes were drawn back to the myriad of__colour decorating Kuroko's skin._

_Some of them were very large - welts almost definitely caused by the snapping of a whip or the blow dealt by a harsh hand. But most of them, which trailed from his neck down into the covered folds of his torn garments, were small - small enough that he knew immediately what they were, and more importantly, _who_ had caused them._

_Hot, boiling anger rose from a place deep within him, and he roared with a volume that should not have been possible with the extent of his injuries. "You bastard! What did you do to Tetsuya?"_

_Dark chuckling followed by soft 'tsk's met his ears. "Now, now. Is that how you thank the person who has returned your beloved to you?" A steely glare was Akashi's only reply. Haizaki clucked, head slowly shaking in feigned disappointment. "Such a pity. And I was going to return him to you with no further charge, as a display of my benevolence."_

_Akashi wanted to snap at him, but familiar soft whimpering drew his attention instead to the bound figure. "Testuya," he whispered, reaching out a shaky hand to the wakening boy. A booted foot slammed into his wrist, and he yelled, startled at the suddenness of the action. Jolts of pain shot up his arm, and if he even twitched so much as a finger, a most agonising feeling ripped through his nerves. His wrist must be broken, he realised blearily. Somewhere above his head, what had started out as soft giggles exploded into maniacal laughter._

_"Oh. Oh, my." The voice choked out, during a short break from the howls of gleeful mania. "Seems like we broke your wrist, Akashi-sama. How will you ever play basketball again?" Shrieks of hysteria overtook Haizaki again as he finished speaking, and Akashi gritted his teeth against the pain, dragging his now useless right hand back towards his body._

_"You _will_ pay for this. I will kill you myself." Akashi ground out, his eyes fixed on his captor, who was still bent over with laughter._

_"Oh, is that so?" Haizaki's voice turned cold instantly, and he stalked over to Akashi, lifting his chin up with the toe of his shoe. Akashi forced himself to remain still, to ignore the fact that he was being treated like vermin. __**Patience. There will be a time to strike, **__he told himself__**.**__ Above him, Haizaki continued his deprecating tirade, unaware of Akashi's plotting._

_"You want to be a hero and rescue your beloved boyfriend, kill us all and run away, am I right? Only problem is, I don't see a hero anywhere. Does anyone here see a hero?" He called out. Soft mutterings of "No" and slight movements that looked like shaking heads in his peripheral vision followed this question. Haizaki turned back to Akashi, satisfied with their response. "No one else sees a hero either, Akashi-sama. What we see is a broken little boy, who is still too proud to admit defeat. But I have a remedy for that." Smirking evilly, he strolled over to Kuroko's bound body, whipping out a knife and twirling it languidly over him. Akashi's eyes widened. "You wouldn't dare," he growled, eyes never leaving the glinting weapon. Haizaki paused in his twirling, the tip of the knife pointing downwards in a seemingly careless motion. "You're right. I wouldn't." He beamed, the false smile setting off alarms in Akashi's head. "But that's only because I have something even _better _planned out."_

_The knife took a sudden dive, and Akashi almost cried out in fear for Kuroko. But the only thing Haizaki was doing was sawing off the thick ropes that held Kuroko prisoner. As the last rope came undone, one of the men standing off to the side came forward with two pairs of handcuffs, while another drove a metal pole into a hole by Kuroko's head. They quickly handcuffed Kuroko's arms above his head, tying him down again in a different manner. The broken ropes were removed, and the tape covering his mouth ripped off. The bluenette coughed out a short shriek, as if his throat was too dry to even cry out in pain. Akashi stared at his boyfriend in abject horror, trying to wriggle closer with only the use of his non-dominant hand._

_Large hands grabbed his shoulders and threw him into a chair, swiftly binding him to it. He was placed just close enough to Kuroko to see what was happening, but his restraints were too tight to break through, even if he was not injured. At least they didn't tie down his broken wrist, which was by itself a small mercy._

_Soft footsteps and a creaking door alerted him to the exit of all of Haizaki's henchmen. The weak light streaming through the open door tapered off, followed by a sound like a latch being thrown. Belatedly, he noticed that the only ones left in the room were him, Kuroko and the mastermind himself. Akashi felt dread coil in his stomach - almost in horrified apprehension of what would occur next._

_Haizaki prowled around Kuroko, licking his lips. He looked just like an animal waiting to devour its prey. Without a second glance at Akashi, one hand went to his belt, and he stripped off his lower garments in one motion – almost as if he could not wait any longer. He lowered himself to one knee, bending over to caress Kuroko's face oh-so-gently with a fingertip. It was a complete mockery of his earlier display of violence. If Akashi was angry before, now he was absolutely _livid_._

_"Take your filthy hands off Tetsuya!" He yelled, and Haizaki looked up, only to give him a solid smirk of satisfaction. _

_"What, and miss out on my chance to utterly destroy you? I don't think so." His hands made quick work of Kuroko's weathered garments, tearing them off and earning mewls of pain from the bluenette. Haizaki looked up and met Akashi's eyes. "I'm going to torture him and pleasure him, make sure he screams in ecstasy at my hands. I'll make him come so many times he'll lose his breath, and it won't be because of you." As he spoke, one hand slid down Kuroko's chest, teasing and flicking one pink nipple while the boy tried to suppress his moans in vain._

_Akashi worried at his torn lips, before speaking quickly, trying to stall for time. "And what would you get out of it, Shougo? Kuroko will never love you. You may break his body, but you can never have him." His tone was cold and hard, and he was proud that it did not give away his nervousness. He could see how it irked Haizaki to have the truth placed where he could see it, and despite the situation, he felt a sense of triumph._

_"That may be true," the other said slowly. "But it's not what I want from Kuroko. It's how breaking him will break _you_." Saying so, he turned back to his victim to begin the slow torture._

_The screams of Kuroko and Akashi echoed in the high rafters of the warehouse, but nobody - save for those who were part of the villainous act - heard their cries._

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Something was tapping his shoulder relentlessly, and he brushed it away frantically, still caught up in the fragments of the nightmare. The thing came back, tapping even more fervently than before, and this time, it was accompanied by a voice.

"Akashi-sama, please, wake up. It is time for your medicine."

Hearing the honorific enraged him - the creature who had last employed that had used it to ridicule his person. His eyes snapped open, glaring at the person who had spoken, while snatching and clutching onto their arm firmly. Through the fuzzy haze of sleep, he saw nothing out of the ordinary; it was only the kindly nurse who always attended to him. But that was not enough reason to deter him.

"Where is he?" He demanded, gripping the nurse's wrist even more tightly. "Where is that bastard, so I may kill him?"

The nurse only placed her hand over his gently, speaking slowly but sincerely. "There is no one here, Akashi-sama. It is only you and I, at the Rakuzan hospital, in your room. You had a nightmare, but now it is over. And, it is time for your medicine."

Akashi held her warm gaze, searching them for any hints of a lie. She did not flinch as many others did - she never had, not once since their first encounter - but only stared back at him, waiting for him to let go of his paranoia and relax.

Ever so slowly, his vice-like grip on her wrist began to slacken, and she pulled his hand off hers carefully, placing it back in his lap. While his breathing steadied, she rolled the portable table closer and passed him a few pills and a glass of water, which he swallowed mechanically while trying to diffuse the ghost of the nightmare that still prowled through the halls of his mind.

Having completed the morning routine of eating medicine, he leaned back on the pillows, pressing the heels of his hands to his eyes. The nightmare was still fresh, the painful memory resurfacing even though he thought it had been supressed. The scene had felt all-too real, the physical pain paling in comparison to the terror and helplessness he felt. That was the last time he had seen Kuroko alive in their last lives - they had both perished in the warehouse. Him from blood loss, and Kuroko from exhaustion. He only had Midorima's account of what had transpired after their deaths, but he didn't want to think about it, not right away.

The nurse spoke softly as she offered him the bowl of fruit. "Would you like to sit on the balcony to clear your head, Akashi-sama?" She was the only one who knew of his recurrent nightmares, and had not mentioned it to anyone – not the doctor, and definitely not any one of his nosy family. And for that, she had his eternal gratefulness.

"Yes. I think that would be very helpful." Akashi took an apple from the bowl and ignored her proffered hand, walking over to the glass doors by himself. She helped to open the doors and settle him down in one of the wicker chairs overlooking the greenery of the city. "Is there anything else you require before I take my leave, Akashi-sama?"

"No- Actually, there is one thing. Request for Kuroko Tetsuya to visit me as soon as he wakes. I would like to speak with him. Please," he added, almost like an afterthought.

Akashi saw her bow in compliance from the corner of his eye, and the sound of the door closing behind her indicated that he was finally alone with his terrible thoughts. A strangled moan half-escaped him as he rested his head against the back of the chair. The nightmare still had not left him, and he was transported back there the moment his eyes closed. Even though he knew that he was no longer in that dark, rank warehouse, he could still feel the tingling where his old bruises were, the numb ache of his once-broken wrist, the ghostly tinge of his battered body.

But the worst pain of all was seeing Kuroko's tormented face as Haizaki forced himself on him. The sadistic bastard was true to his threats, and kept pushing Kuroko over the edge over and over, with hardly a break in between his ministrations. From his vantage point, Akashi could still see how conflicted his boyfriend was to be enjoying the affections of someone he so despised. His expression was twisted, trying to hold back his moans even as pain bled into pleasure.

But he couldn't have lasted for long. With the crazy pace that Haizaki had set, coupled with Kuroko's innate lack of stamina, he could see that the cerulean-haired boy was tiring. His breaths came in shallow pants, and his normally pale face was even more blanched than normal. The growing pool of blood under his body only accelerated his weakening state, and though Akashi yearned for both of them to make it out alive, he knew it would be kinder if they both died then.

A pair of cool hands rested themselves on his shoulders, right before frail arms wrapped around him from the back. Startled from his musings, he was about to push them away when he caught a whiff of the person's scent and relaxed into their arms. _Tetsuya. No one else pulls off the scent of vanilla like he can. Not that he needs to know that. _Tucking away his appreciation of Kuroko to contemplate upon at a later time, he greeted his guest, hoping his slight hesitation would be overlooked.

"Tetsuya. Did you just arrive?"

"Yes, Seijuurou-kun. I came as soon as I received your summons. Oh, and good morning." Kuroko rested his chin lightly on Akashi's head, and the two of them looked out over the city, the soft morning light adding life to the otherwise bland surroundings. They remained as they were for a few minutes, simply enjoying each other's presence. Akashi could feel the last of the nightmare's dark tendrils receding just from being near the one he loved.

Eventually, Kuroko gave a soft sigh and pulled back. Akashi looked up at him inquisitively. "I am no longer young, Seijuurou-kun. May I take a seat?"

"Ah, of course." Akashi felt just the slightest bit chastened. Kuroko only smiled at him, his expression indicating that he did not take offense. His next words were unflinchingly direct. "Was there a reason for summoning me so early in the morning, Seijuurou-kun?"

The dark emotions came flooding back, but he tried to hide it behind a chuckle. "Always so blunt, Tetsuya." The unamused look he received in return generated a reluctant sigh. "Alright, fine. I was having a nightmare," he admitted. "About the last time we saw each other alive in our past lives."

Kuroko shuddered, and did not try to conceal the self-loathing and disgust that showed on his face. His mouth opened and closed several times before he managed to get his voice to work. "Seijuurou-kun. I- I'm sorry that I wasn't stronger. That I couldn't resist him and his vile deeds. I'm not worthy of being in your presence - not after what had happened." He slid forward, and Akashi belatedly realised he wanted to get into a kneeling position. He hurriedly reached out to grab his arm and push him back. "Stop it, Tetsuya. I don't blame you for what happened."

"No. Let me apologise properly. It is my fault. If I didn't get caught in the first place-"

"Shh." Akashi placed a finger on Kuroko's lips, silencing him. "You couldn't have known. We both could not have anticipated it."

"You shouldn't have come for me then." Kuroko's voice was thick with unshed tears. "You could have lived if I wasn't there to drag you down. Haizaki wanted me, not you."

"Not true. He enjoyed every part of my torture. Look at me, Tetsuya." Two fingers lifted his chin, so that his sky blue eyes could meet the other's blood red ones. "What transpired back then was _not your fault_," he emphasised heavily. "Shougo was coming for us either way, it was only a matter of time before we would have been captured. And anyway, what's done is done. We can't change the past. We can only learn from our mistakes." Kuroko averted his gaze, lips sealed together in a tight line. Akashi narrowed his eyes. He did not want to resort to blackmail, but Kuroko had always been so stubborn…

"Do you really want to leave me? After we just found each other again? I could have it arranged, you know. One word from me, and tomorrow you could be somewhere else-" Kuroko's hands grabbed on to Akashi tightly and cut off his next words, his eyes desperate and wild.

"No," he whispered. "Never. I never want to be apart from you again, Sei. Never. Don't- Don't leave me!"

Akashi gently squeezed their joined hands, ruby eyes smouldering. "If that's what you really want, Tetsuya. Do you?" The cerulean-haired man nodded, tightening hands betraying his terror. "Very well. Then I will give you my word. But on one condition." He stared deep into Kuroko's eyes, wording his demand carefully. "You will never insist that our past kidnapping was your fault, or that you were responsible for any of the horrors that you were coerced into, ever again. Promise me this, and I will promise you in turn."

Kuroko looked conflicted. The way emotions were flickering through his face, Akashi could tell that his heart and mind were at a disagreement. One was probably vehemently protesting against agreeing to that promise, while the other was begging unashamedly for a second chance. Akashi gently squeezed their hands again, and Kuroko spared him a brief glance, breath hitching as he tried to collect his thoughts into something discernible.

"I-I- I promise. It will take some time, but I will try my best." Kuroko squeezed his eyes shut tightly, as if waiting for a blow to fall. Akashi leaned forward and kissed his pale hair, then pressing their foreheads together. "Your best is all I ever ask of you, Tetsuya. I promise that I will never leave you willingly, and if anyone should try to take you from me forcibly, they had better be prepared for a fight."

Kuroko seemed to sag visibly with those words, as if he could finally be at peace. "Thank you, Seijuurou-kun."

Akashi smirked. Time to play his final card. _This demand is pure selfishness, but I am absolute. _"Uh-uh. That's not what you called me earlier. Say it again, Tetsuya." He put his lips directly next to his ear, whispering lightly, in a way that he knew Kuroko could not resist. "Say my name."

Kuroko mumbled something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like 'embarrassing' and 'stupid soulmate', but at last he relented, breathing the words out in a tight rush. "...thank you, Sei."


End file.
